


The Paths We Choose

by Avistella



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/M, Gender-neutral Reader, M/M, Meta, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Spoilers for Secret 01, reset theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 17:38:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8542588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avistella/pseuds/Avistella
Summary: V knows that this is all a game, and he understands that he has no route set out for him.





	

V was aware that this was all a game. It was perhaps because he knew this that he could remain standing on the sidelines, watching everything play out. V didn't mind it though; he was able to watch over the RFA members like this from a safe distance, for both their sake and his. Yet, despite all that, the young man couldn't help but feel so alone. Seven was also vaguely self-aware similar to V, but Seven still had his own path to choose from several others. So even if the two felt a similar loneliness of being self-aware, Seven was still fortunate enough to be directly involved with you, whereas V was not.

At first, V was indifferent to his situation. He had his own role to play. His own determined set of actions and consequences. His own _fate_. ...And he never questioned it once. It was just how things were. Everything—all his thoughts, words, and actions—have already been planned and determined from the beginning, so V remained emotionally distant. But things change as time passes, and while it may have only felt like a mere two weeks for you and the RFA members, V knew that it's been much longer. He was too busy trying to play out his part perfectly that he couldn't exactly remember just how much time has passed, but V knows that it's already been over at least a month since you first appeared.

V watched as you fell in love with the RFA members one by one, always at a safe distance before you reached their end and then try again for a different ending, or even a different member. At first, the young man was confused as to why you would subject yourself to such a game. Didn't you get tired of having to repeat the same conversations and days over and over again? Why would you sacrifice so much of your sleep just so that you can talk with them? V eventually came to realize that you yourself were self-aware; after all, you had once asked him if you would be able to all clear this game.

_"There's nothing you can't do"_ was V's response. It was one of his rare responses that genuinely came from him and not because that was what was scripted for him to say.

After all, V has been watching you all this time. He has witnessed your determination and strength multiple times now. He has seen just how much you've changed and healed the RFA members and helped them with their personal problems, one by one. You meant a lot to them, and they meant a lot to you. Then, before V knew it, _he fell in love with you_.

V cursed fate. He cursed his inability to capture your heart. No matter how much he wished and longed for it, V knew that the possibility of you and him getting together was impossible. He didn't have his own route to go to where you were. V was left all alone, stranded in his own sea of 0s and 1s that nobody can cross.

So the young man had no choice but to only watch you from afar and offer small acts and words of support whenever possible. He felt butterflies in his stomach whenever you chose to trust him. He didn't know if that was what you truly felt, but it felt nice to him, even if it was just V's own delusions. And in those times you chose to be distrustful, V would feel his heart shatter. He desperately wanted to prove himself to you, that he was someone you can rely on for _anything_ , but you were completely blind to his intentions. ...How ironic.

You went through what V called the "Casual Routes" first. He called them as such since the dangers to you weren't that severe and that you would be left completely unaware of the whole truth. V felt relieved that you chose to go the safe route, even if you had no idea that it was the safer choice of the two. Even if it looked like you were heading towards a Bad End, you would still be safe. Safer than in the "Deep Routes", at least.

Time passed slowly and quietly. You passed through each route and ending safely. Now, all that was left was to have you find the answers to the questions left behind in each route. Soon enough, you will be approaching V's end. The young man's lips tugged themselves into a wry smile. He found it unfair that his ending was already determined to be a Bad End for him and that he would never get his chance of proving to you just how strong his feelings towards you have grown in the past days. Weeks. Months.

V has no route. He has already come to terms with this fact, but that still doesn't lessen the disappointment he feels as his breaths become more shallow. The pain of having been shot grew stronger before having it slowly start to dull to mere numbness. V utters his last words towards Rika, but he feels nothing. After all, Rika was merely another piece. Another character. Both V and Rika had to act out the roles given to them; perhaps V did feel pity towards Rika and her unfortunate fate, but that wasn't what he really cared about right now.

Despite being completely blind by this point, V can clearly see you. Perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but you're crying for him, and the young man can't help but feel confused. _Why?_ Why were you crying for a man you barely knew? Barely talked with? A small smile makes its way onto V's face as he entertains the idea of you falling in love with him despite having all odds pitted against him. He can't find the strength to talk now, so he whispers the words he wants to say to you in his heart, hoping that they will reach you.

_"It's okay. Everything will return to normal the next time you pick up this game again and reset like you always do. Then maybe one day, the ones who made me will forge a path for the both of us to meet."_

* * *

Your eyes are swollen from crying so much from everything you've just witnessed. You're left all alone once more, having been forced back to the beginning where you're prompted to make your choice, but you hesitate. You've gone through all routes and endings already; there was no reason for you to play this game any longer. Yet there's a nagging feeling at the back of your mind that if you don't reset now, that ending you just saw will be the final one. You don't want to let things end this way, but now that you know the truth, you don't know if you could bring yourself to have V go through all of that pain and misery once more.

_"He's already suffered enough,"_ you think, and you falter with your decision. You can choose to replay the routes once more and have V experience the same stress and heartache all over again; or you can choose to leave the game overall, leaving V to eternally rest in peace once and for all. No matter what you choose though, wouldn't V be all alone anyways?

 

_With a shaky breath, you make your choice._


End file.
